How To Take Screenshots on Your Android Device Using the SDK

By
David Cogen
|
May 11, 2011 05:14 am

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You have an app you've developed and need to show off some screenshots. Maybe you really want to show a friend how awesome your homescreen looks. Or, perhaps you want to post on DamnYouAutoCorrect.com. Regardless of the reason, sometimes you need to take a screenshot of your Android device's screen. Unfortunately, Android doesn't do this easily or on the phone like the iPhone. Instead you have to setup drivers, the SDK, and manually connect to the device to take screenshots. Here's how to set everything up so you can get the perfect shots you need.

14. Look at the "List of Devices Attached." If your tablet or phone is on the list, you can skip step 15. Otherwise, go to the next step to manually install the drivers.

15. Do this step if you did NOT get a serial number in the last step.

A. Unplug the device.

B. Go to PDANet and download the PDANet latest installer. (This is a program used to tether your Android phone to the desktop, but we use it here to install the ADB drivers manually which it usually does on installation).

C. Install it and wait for it to completely finish.

D. Plug your device back in (make sure USB Debugging is still checked on on the device) and it should say installing drivers.

E. Redo step 4 and see if you get a serial number now. If so continue to Section III. If not, then redo this step but instead of installing PDANet, Google your device name and the words "adb drivers" after it and find it's drivers manually. Install them and then try adb devices again to see if you get a serial number.